Catalogs are a common element of many organizations’ marketing efforts, and they’re one of the most effective ways to spread the word about products and services. It shouldn’t be challenging to create a catalog, but the difficulty today is to adapt it to the shifting marketing landscape. Your catalogs should be a mix of your understanding of your target market and your inventiveness. Here is a collection of catalog design recommendations you need to know before creating your own.
What is Catalog Design?
A catalog is a visual design product that shows potential clients your products or services. It should be produced to the highest standards and detail your whole line of products or services you offer to your consumers. Your potential clients should find a brief biography or background narrative of your organization at the opening of your catalog, followed by a work portfolio. There are no hard and fast rules on how a catalog should look. It’s completely adaptable, and that’s what makes the beauty of product catalog design.
The Basics of Catalog Design
What are some fundamentals that might help you with your design? Keep these pointers in mind regardless of the software you use or the products you offer, and you’ll have a successful catalog.
Appeal to people’s lifestyles.
Your consumers have their own ambitions and desires, and these ideas are associated with specific ways of life. Market your products to be associated with a lifestyle that your target audience hopes to achieve. This implies that you must have a solid grasp of what motivates your consumers before you start constructing your catalog. Every part of your catalog, including language, photos, covers, and other aspects, should have the same theme and radiate the lifestyle you’re targeting.
Make it specific to your target audience.
Are you creating a catalog for business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C)? Advertising to consumers and advertising to vendors are two very different things. Each has unique formatting and design requirements. Make sure you understand your target audience and have chosen a format that will appeal to them.
Highlight the products.
You’re in the selling business. Make sure that every aspect of your catalog encourages people to buy. This is accomplished by ensuring that the product is at the core of all design aspects. Product images should show the product in action. Product descriptions should demonstrate how your products will improve the customer’s life. In a nutshell, the product is king, and everything else should compliment it.
How to Create a Successful Catalog Design
Before you dive in, keep in mind that one size does not fit all in the realm of catalog design. The pillars of successful product catalogue designs include eye-catching imagery, clever layouts, engaging photos, and organization. Add in the reality that various sectors typically necessitate different approaches: a catalog for a big box sports goods retailer would differ significantly from one for a bespoke watchmaker. So, where should you begin? Let’s look at a few essential methods to use best practices to get a head start on your catalogue’s layout.
Create for your target market.
The success of a catalog is determined by how well it sells. Make your catalog appealing to your target audience. A catalog for a youthful audience will be very different from one for an older audience. If you’re targeting various people, you might want to create a few different designs to cater to their different tastes and preferences.
Choose your size and format.
Give your products the room they require. Make sure your catalog is large enough to display all of your products and attracts attention to your most significant products or services while constructing it. Consider the number of pages, the structure, and how your clients will react. For example, suppose you work in a specialist business like bespoke watchmaking or exquisite photography. In that case, you could want a minimalist design with fewer things per page to emphasize the work’s quality and originality.
Customers should linger over the pages of your work, taking in the intricacies and the “story” behind it. Your preferred printer is an excellent spot to receive expert guidance. Additionally, higher-quality paper stock and more careful consideration of picture quality and color trueness will likely help this readership.
Use high-resolution images.
Your business catalog should include hi-res photos of your products and services. Excellent photographs will enhance sales by making your things more enticing. Consider taking pictures of high-value products and services more prominent than those of lesser value. Ensure all photos were taken with sufficient lighting and high resolution to print.
Catalog Layout and Design Tips You Should Know
Here is a collection of catalogue layouts tips you should know.
Decide on the style and color palette.
A catalog for a clothes business, for example, must include elegant colors like gold, silver, and ivory. Conversely, a toy catalog should be fanciful and enjoyable, with brilliant colors.
Be consistent with the font.
To create distinct styles that blend beautifully:
- Use one or two families and add bold or italics.
- If you use sans serif fonts in the paragraphs, use a slab or serif font for the headers.
- Make sure you’re using the same fonts in each area. Use no more than two or three typefaces together as a general guideline.
Make a point of highlighting both new and on-sale products or services.
Use starbursts or highlights in product pictures to indicate new arrivals. Your catalog will draw customers to these new products or services if a discount is offered.
Maintain consistency in your design.
A catalog is a fantastic way to promote your company. Customers will notice patterns in design, layouts, and colors and identify them with your company.
Don’t be afraid to deviate from the norm.
Make the most of the centerfold. Add distinct catalog layouts, such as a full-size product photograph or business text related to your products to break it up. Don’t go overboard, though, or your layout will seem cluttered.
Create Your Catalog Design with Printivity
After you’ve finalized your catalogue design, you need someone you can trust to print your designs with high-quality materials. At Printivity, creating beautiful catalogs couldn’t be easier. Your designs can be edited by template-sized downloads on our site, so you can easily transfer your work without worrying about dimensions. Submit your order and our catalog printing team will double-check your designs to ensure everything is in order. Approve your digital proof and confirm your order information by checking your inbox. That’s it!Contact Printivity today to bring your catalog design to life!
